Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette is a new go-to summer salad! Ribbons of yellow squash and zucchini tossed with fresh greens, goat cheese and lemon thyme vinaigrette. This salad recipe is a cinch to prepare, yet shaving the squash, adding creamy goat cheese and making your own vinaigrette really elevates this simple summer dish. Ready in ten minutes and no appliances needed!
It is so hot pretty much everywhere right now, so I bet many of you are looking for recipes that do not require an oven. Salads are your friend this month! Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette has been on repeat in my kitchen this week.
Kids and Vegetables
July is the best month for summer squash and I love creating new recipes with squash as the star. While my husband and I love yellow squash and zucchini, the kids…well, not so much. Here is the thing about kids; one day they like something and the next day…nope!
Guess what? I keep trying! The goal is to keep presenting foods in new and interesting ways.
Maybe you have someone in your family who doesn’t like sauteed squash, but might love it raw? Perhaps you have a child who will not touch a raw zucchini, but may gobble up zucchini fries!
Did you know that even the shape of foods plays a part in many children’s tastes? Play around with cutting various vegetables into circles, spears, or shaving them into ribbons. Cue….Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette!
Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
Many presentations of squash can be mushy and off-putting to children (and adults!). Our kids love salads, so I decided to present a less preferred vegetable (the squash) using a more familiar recipe.
I often serve a simple green salad tossed with vinaigrette alongside our main dinner entree. The addition of squash to this more familiar recipe challenges the kids to try something new, but not completely different. Guess what? They like raw squash!
Start your salad preparation by making the dressing or vinaigrette first. Add lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, and Kosher salt to a Mason jar , shake and set aside.
Any leftover vinaigrette will last in the refrigerator for about a week. If you are looking for a fancier bottle for serving homemade dressings, I recently came across this beauty.
Summer Squash Ribbons
Select a variety of yellow and green squash keeping in mind that you will only use the outside portions for this recipe. Peel the squash into ribbons using either a mandolin or a Y-cut vegetable peeler. The squash should be peeled so that the bright skin shows on each ribbon.
Refrigerate the remaining inner portion of the squash for another use. I have lots of ideas circling in my head, so check back for more squash recipes soon!
Simple Salad
Next, toss the squash ribbons in a bowl with the lemon-thyme vinaigrette and set aside for approximately five minutes. In the meantime, layer the arugula on a platter and then add the marinated squash. Add freshly crumbled goat cheese, sprinkle pumpkin seeds for crunch and serve!
The marinated squash provides just the right amount of flavor for the salad. I always err on the side of using less vinaigrette and provide additional vinaigrette on the table for others to add to their preferred taste. Fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt are also great to add to this salad for additional flavor.
Serving Suggestions and Adaptations
Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette is the perfect light summer lunch or dinner side. This salad pairs nicely with a grilled protein, such as salmon or chicken or as a side to a vegetarian entree. This salad is great paired with with my Southern Basil Tomato Pie (recipe coming soon!).
Toddlers: Serve squash ribbons without arugula. Arugula is a bitter green and often difficult for younger children to enjoy.
Preschool/School Age Children: Serve squash ribbons alone or on top of mixed greens or baby spinach. While some children enjoy arugula, others may prefer a milder green such as spinach or mixed greens.
Please let me know if you try this Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette by leaving a rating or comment. Also, please tag @restandrelish on Instagram and pin to Pinterest if you plan to try later. I would love to see your take on this salad!
Ingredients
Shaved Summer Squash Salad
- 4 small summer squash yellow squash and zucchini
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 1/2 ounces goat cheese
- 1 T. raw pumpkin seeds
Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
- 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme stems removed
- 1/2 t. Kosher salt
Instructions
Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
- Add lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, and Kosher salt to a Mason jar, shake and set aside.
Shaved Summer Squash Salad
- Shave outer portion of zucchini and yellow squash into long ribbons using Y-cut peeler. Reserve squash cores for another recipe.
- Toss the squash ribbons with lemon-thyme vinaigrette and set aside for approximately five minutes.
- Layer arugula on a flat platter. Next, add marinated squash ribbons. Add freshly crumbled goat cheese, sprinkle pumpkin seeds for crunch and serve!
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